Main menu

About Sharks

Welshpool Sharks is committed to supporting children to achieve their potential in competitive swimming whilst also promoting a healthy lifestyle and confident children through sport development.

Club

The administration of the Club is through a volunteer Committee that meets regularly. The various positions, roles and post holders can be viewed on our website but the meetings themselves are open to all parents. We actively encourage your participation and involvement.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding the welfare of our swimmers is a priority and we have policies and procedures to follow together with two Child Protection/Welfare Officers. Their contact details are on the noticeboard.

Fees

Our fees are based on a monthly standing order system and further guidance can be found on our website. Please ensure this is set-up correctly and monitor the payments to ensure they reflect the number of sessions your swimmer is committed to each month. In addition an annual payment to cover your swimmers membership of Swim Wales is needed no later than the 1st April each year.

Communication

We have a Club noticeboard at The Flash (past reception on the left), a website www.welshpoolsharks.org and a closed Facebook page, which are all regularly updated. We also use email welshpoolsharks@hotmail.co.uk. Coaches are readily available after each session to help you and answer any questions.

Training

Coaching & training is delivered by our Head Coach Alan Webster a former Service Swimming Team coach supported by several volunteer ASA Level 1 Assistant Coaches along with other volunteer pool-side helpers. Pool based sessions take place at The Flash Leisure Centre on Monday: 7pm – 8pm; Wednesday: 7pm – 8pm & 8pm – 9pm & Friday: 7pm – 8pm. Remember, training need not be limited to our Club sessions. If your swimmer wants to swim more often, why not go to the Flash’s public sessions and our Head Coach can certainly advise what you could do in your own time. Running and athletics in particular contribute greatly to general fitness, flexibility & speed, as do many other sports. At home, doing some simple exercises regularly – press-ups, sit-ups and such like – will help too. A few of these are outlined on our website under ‘training’ but you can also speak with our Head Coach for more ideas.

Training Structure & Equipment

Please ensure your swimmer is on poolside 10minutes before the session is due to start. This allows us to sort out any ‘issues’ and for them to do some basic mobility exercises before getting in the water. All sessions follow the same basic structure starting with a warm-up, the main set, contrast set and finishing with a cool-down. Swimmers will need a swim suit or jammers; swim hat; goggles; towel. They also need to bring on poolside a bottle of water and to drink regularly during training – they are exercising hard and are in fact sweating although this goes unnoticed as they’re in water, but it’s very important that they keep hydrated. As they become more committed, having their own kick board, pull buoy, swim fins and swim snorkel will be very useful.

Training Log

Even our newest and youngest swimmers can benefit from keeping a simple record of their training. You can use a simple diary or a sport specific record book (copy on website under ‘training’). Recording their own training and performance will involve the swimmer much more in what they’re doing, allows them to express an interest, track progress and set goals.

Club Social Events

These range from a Christmas event for swimmers; the Club Gala nights; our Presentation Evening along with the occasional fund raising event whether it be for charity or to boost our own funds. All help with these are greatly appreciated.